Leeds

For other uses, see Leeds (disambiguation).

Leeds
Population
OS grid reference	SE297338
Metropolitan borough	City of Leeds
Metropolitan county	West Yorkshire
Region	Yorkshire and the Humber
Country	England
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	LEEDS
Postcode district	LS1, LS2 (City Centre)
Postcode district	LS3-LS19 (city)
Postcode district	LS20-LS29 (borough)
Dialling code	0113
Police	West Yorkshire
Fire	West Yorkshire
Ambulance	Yorkshire
UK Parliament	Leeds Central

Leeds is a major city in West Yorkshire, England. It is located on the River Aire and is the urban core of the City of Leeds metropolitan borough.

According to the 2001 UK census the Leeds Urban Area had a population of 443,247 while the metropolitan borough, City of Leeds had a population of 545,404 and is one of England's core cities.

History

Main article: History of Leeds

The 1866 map of Leeds.

The name "Leeds" came from "Loidis" (Bede states: "...regione quae vocatur Loidis" region known as Loidis), which was a name recorded in Anglo-Saxon sources for a Celtic kingdom that survived in the area for a while after the Anglo-Saxon invasion.

Leeds has been known since being mentioned (as "Ledes") in the Domesday Book of 1086, (the name evolved into "Leedes" and finally "Leeds"). Leeds was an agricultural market town in the Middle Ages, and received its first charter in 1207. In the Tudor period Leeds was mainly a merchant town, manufacturing woollen cloths and trading with Europe via the Humber estuary, and the population grew from 10,000 at the end of the 17th century to 30,000 at the end of the 18th. At one point nearly half of England's total exports passed through Leeds. The Industrial Revolution had resulted in the radical growth of Leeds whose population had risen to over 150,000 by 1840. The city's industrial growth was catalysed by the introduction of the Aire & Calder Navigation in 1699, Leeds and Liverpool Canal in 1816 and the railway in 1848. In 1893 Leeds had been granted city status. These industries that developed in the Industrial Revolution had included making machinery for spinning, machine tools, steam engines and gears as well as other industries based on textiles, chemicals and leather and pottery. Coal was extracted on a large scale and the still functioning Middleton Railway, the first commercial railway in the world, transported coal into the centre of Leeds.

By the 20th century this social and economic status had started to change with the creation of the academic institutions that are known today as the University of Leeds, Leeds Metropolitan University and Leeds Trinity & All Saints. This period had also witnessed expansion in medical provision particularly Leeds General Infirmary and St James's Hospital. Following World War II there was a decline in secondary industries that had thrived in the 19th century. In 1951, half the workforce was still in manufacturing; by 1971 the figure was a third. Leeds lost a third of its manufacturing jobs during 1971-1981 (Champion & Townsend, 1990, p.82). In 1991, 64,000 were employed in manufacturing. In 2003, 2,103 firms employed 44,500 (10% of workforce) - see Leeds Economy Handbook. But there are still some large engineering firms. The largest make turbine blades, components, alloys, valves and pipelines for the oil industry, switchgear, printers' supplies, copper alloys, surgical and hospital equipment, pumps, motors, radiators.

In the 1980s, the Conservative government designated Urban Development Corporations on a number of UK cities: some declining areas were taken out of local authority control and government funding was provided with the aim of speeding up and concentrating private sector investment in the most run-down areas. Leeds Development Corporation ran from 1988-1995 and helped to focus attention on two decayed industrial areas (The lower Kirkstall Valley and the riverside area to the south east of the city centre). Achievements of LDC included refurbishment of many riverside properties, the opening up of Granary Wharf and the Royal Armouries development.

Today Leeds is known as one of eight core cities that act as a focus of their respective regions and Leeds is generally regarded as the dominant city of the ceremonial county of West Yorkshire, and the dominant city in Yorkshire as a whole.

Industry and economy

Main article: Economy of Leeds

and List of companies based in Leeds

Leeds Town Hall - Victorian civic confidence

Briggate, Leeds

Bridgewater Place from the Canal

Leeds was recently voted Britain's second Best City for Business to Manchester by Omis Research. It is also regarded as the fastest growing city in the UKand has a diverse economy with the service sector now dominating over the city's manufacturing industries. Leeds is the largest financial centre outside the capital. New tertiary industries such as retail, call centres, offices and media have contributed to a high rate of economic growth since the early 1990s. Nearly 100,000 people work in financial and business services - about a quarter of the workforce. The strength of the economy is also indicated by the low unemployment rate.

Growth sectors in financial & business services: banking, labour recruitment*, commercial cleaning, legal services, insurance, pension funds, computing*, architecture and civil engineering, real estate, investigation & security, accountancy, equipment leasing, consultancy & market research*, advertising, and R&D*.

Some of the faster growing sub-sectors during the 1990s marked *.

Transport

The rail network is still of great importance. From Leeds railway station MetroTrains operated by Northern Rail operate to all parts of West Yorkshire and surrounding local and commuter locations and other operators including GNER, Virgin Cross Country, Midland Mainline and TransPennine Express operate services to the rest of the country.

Leeds has two railway lines offering direct services to London. The principal route is along the East Coast Main Line which operates at least once per hour and is planned to become half-hourly through the day. Midland Mainline offers an alternative route via Leicester along the Midland Main Line to London St Pancras soon to be the home of Eurostar international services. The Midland Mainline service operates principally because the train operators fleet of diesel high speed trains (HST's) is based at Neville Hill maintenance depot in Leeds. There are three trains per day in each direction.

The city had plans for a tram network. However the government axed the scheme due to an unwillingness to pay for any costs over budget, and the Department for Transport's apparent preference of a bus-based rapid transport scheme to a tram-based scheme. Leeds remains the largest city in the European Union without a mass transit system.

Leeds is the focus of the A58, A61, A62, A63, A64 and A65 roads. Nowadays, with the M1 and M62 intersecting just to its south and the A1(M) passing just to its east, it is one of the principal hubs of the northern motorway network. The city centre is pedestrianised, and is encircled by the clockwise-only 'loop road'.

Leeds Bradford International Airport is located to the north-west of the city and has scheduled flights to destinations within Europe plus Egypt and Turkey.

Development

File:IMG 1642.JPG

Bridgewater Place nearing completion and cranes for another new development

Further information: List of Developments in Leeds

In recent times Leeds has seen many new developments. High rise schemes are making a much bigger mark on Leeds' skyline. Sixteen skyscrapers are under construction or proposed, all of them taller than West Riding House - Leeds' tallest building since it was built in the 1970s. The UK's tallest building outside of London, Lumiere, has also got the green light for construction in Leeds.

Events

• The Leeds German Christmas Market is held in Millennium Square every year from 17 November to 17 December.
• The Ice Cube - Europe’s largest open air ice skating rink is also held in Millennium Square annually.
• The Leeds Christmas Lights switch-on is an annual event featuring a celebrity turning on the lights with the Lord Mayor.

Areas of the city

Aberford Adel Aireborough Alwoodley Armley Austhorpe Barwick Beckett Park Beck Hill Beeston Belle Isle Bramhope Bramley Burmantofts Burley Chapel Allerton Chapeltown City Centre Colton Cookridge Cottingley Cross Flatts Cross Gates East End Park Farnley Farsley Garforth

Gipton Gledhow Halton Halton Moor Harehills Hawksworth Headingley Holbeck Holt Park Horsforth Hunslet Hyde Park Killingbeck Kippax Kirkstall Ireland Wood Lawnswood Little London Meanwood Micklefield Middleton Miles Hill Moor Grange Moorside Moortown Morley New Farnley

Oakwood Potternewton Pudsey Quarry Hill Rawdon Richmond Hill Rothwell Roundhay Scholes Scott Hall Seacroft Shadwell Sheepscar Stanningley Swarcliffe Swillington Swinnow Temple Newsam Tinshill Weetwood West Park Whinmoor Whitkirk Woodhouse Wortley Wykebeck Yeadon

Prior to the 1974 reorganisation of government, the city of Leeds was defined as including the former parishes of Armley, Beeston, Bramley, Chapel Allerton, Farnley, Headingley/Burley, Holbeck, Hunslet, Leeds, Osmondthorpe, Potter Newton, Seacroft, Temple Newsam (covering the areas of Halton Moor, Halton, Whitkirk, Colton and Austhorpe) and Wortley[1].

Crime

Like many other cities, the crime rate in Leeds is well above the national average.

In July 2006, the think tank Reform calculated rates of crime for different offences and has related this to populations of major urban areas (defined as towns over 100,000 population). Leeds was placed 11th in this rating (excluding London Boroughs, 23rd including London Boroughs).

Tourism

Recently Leeds has received accolades in the field of tourism; including being voted by Conde Nast Traveller magazine Readers' Awards as the "UK's favourite city" and also "Visitor city of the year" by The Good Britain Guide. Leeds has excellent transport links with the rest of Yorkshire and the UK.

Tourism is big business in Leeds, and supports more than 20,000 full time equivalent jobs. On average Leeds attracts 1.4m people annually who stay overnight, plus a further 18.4m who visit on day trips. Visitors to the city bring in nearly £735m into the local economy each year and Leeds' vibrant and cultural scenes are some of the key reasons that visitors from across the UK and Europe come to Leeds. Major national and regional attractions include the Royal Armouries, Henry Moore Sculpture Centre, West Yorkshire Playhouse and the award winning Harewood House, which was voted one of the best large visitor attractions in the Excellence in England Awards for Tourism 2003.[2]

Additionally, in the Good Hotel Guide 2004, four Leeds hotels were named as top choices for places to stay in the UK.

Leeds Bradford International Airport has flights connecting to Europe, and the rest of the world via London Heathrow Airport, Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport and Amsterdam Schiphol Airport.

Leeds City railway station is one of the busiest in the UK outside of central London, with over 900 trains and 50,000 passengers per day. Its modern interior provides connections to London, Southampton and the south, Birmingham and the Midlands, Bristol and the West Country, Newcastle, Edinburgh and the north, and Manchester and Liverpool and the west, as well as to local and regional destinations. The station itself has 17 platforms, making it the largest in England outside London.

Leeds also has excellent road links via the A1, M1, M62 and M621 motorways. Leeds also has a large modern bus station served by National Express and local bus services. It is also possible to travel to Rotterdam and Zeebrugge by ferry from Hull, only an hour away.

Culture

Sport

Main article: Sport in Leeds

The city has a strong sporting heritage, with Yorkshire County Cricket Club, Leeds Rhinos Rugby League Football Club and Leeds Tykes Rugby Union Football Club playing at Headingley (cricket and rugby grounds are adjacent), and Leeds United Football Club playing at Elland Road. Unlike many other large cities such as Manchester, Liverpool, Birmingham and Sheffield, Leeds only has one football team.

Leeds United were formed in 1919 on the bankruptcy of a previous club, Leeds City. Their first major trophies came in 1968 when they won the League Cup and the European Fairs Cup under the management of Don Revie. They won two league titles and an FA Cup before Revie left for the England team job in 1974. Their only major success since then was winning promotion to the top division in 1990 and then top division champions in 1992. Between 1982 and 1990 Leeds United were in the second tier of the English league, and returned to this level in 2004 following a financial crisis which almost resulted in bankruptcy. They narrowly missed out on a return to the Premiership in 2006, when losing the Championship play-off final 3-0 to Watford. Farsley Celtic and several other non-league clubs also represent the city.

Leeds Rhinos ("The Loiners") were crowned Super League champions on 16 October 2004 after defeating arch rivals Bradford Bulls (formerly Bradford Northern) 16-8, at Old Trafford, Manchester. Unfortunately they lost the Grand Final to Bradford Bulls in 2005. Hunslet Hawks, Bramley Buffaloes and Leeds Akkies are other Leeds-based rugby league teams.

Leeds Tykes won their first ever trophy in 2005 with battling performance to defeat favourites Bath in the Powergen Cup final. In the 2005-06 season the Tykes were relegated from the Guinness Premiership.

Leeds City AC is amongst the biggest and most successful athletics clubs in the north of England and has had the most successful men's harriers section in the country in the 21st century. Since the turn of the millennium the team has never been out of the top 4 in the National Cross Country Championships, winning in 2003, 2006 and 2007. In 2006 and 2007 the team achieved the 'Grand Slam' of wins - Yorkshire, North of England and English National Champions.

Leeds has a wealth of sports facilities including the 40,000 capacity Elland Road football stadium, a host stadium during the 1996 European Football Championship, the Headingley Carnegie Stadiums, world famous for both cricket and rugby league, Leeds International Pool (50m), South Leeds Stadium used for rugby league (Hunslet RLFC), athletics, bowls, football and tennis. Other facilities include the Leeds Wall (climbing), Yeadon Tarn sailing centre. Nearby, in Castleford, is Xscape (real snow indoor ski and snowboard slope with ice climbing wall).

Media

File:Yorkshirepostcover.gif

Front cover of the Yorkshire Post in 2005

Leeds has bases for some media activities for the UK. Yorkshire Post Newspapers Ltd, owned by Johnston Press plc, is based in the city, and produces a daily morning broadsheet, the Yorkshire Post, and an evening paper, the Yorkshire Evening Post, as well as other publications such as Leeds Express and the weekly freesheets of the Leeds Weekly News, Wharfe Valley Times and Pudsey Times.

There are also a number of regular dedicated lifestyle magazines based in Leeds, most notably including 'The Leeds Guide' and 'Absolute Leeds', which both include regular nightlife listings and pages on Food & Drink, Shopping, Fashion, Property, Travel, Clubbing, Film and Rock & Pop in the city. Both magazines reflect the diversity of cultural life in Leeds and Yorkshire, with areas such as Art, Literature, Cinema, Comedy, Dance, Gay Scene, Classical Music, Opera, Jazz and Theatre all regularly represented.

Regional television and radio stations also have bases in the city; BBC Television and Yorkshire Television both have studios and broadcasting centres in Leeds, but there is concern over the future of regional independent television with the consolidation of Independent Television franchises in the UK. BBC Radio Leeds, Radio Aire, Magic 828, Galaxy 105, Real Radio and Yorkshire Radio all broadcast from the city. In the 1980s, pirate radio stations including Rapid City Radio (RCR), amongst other shorter-lived stations broadcasting a mainly reggae playlist from Chapeltown, later diversifying into hip hop and house. Later, Dream FM was one of the biggest pirate radio stations in the country, but folded soon after getting a license to operate legally. Leeds is the UK's third largest media city, behind London and Manchester.

A recent development in industry (particularly the boosting of the British Film Industry), Yorkshire will host the International Indian Film Academy Awards in 2007, where Leeds and Sheffield will play core parts in this, being the two keys cities during the ceremony. The IIFA Awards are Bollywood's (the Hindi film industry) equivalent to the Oscars in Hollywood. The four-day event is expected to generate around £10 million in inward investment to the economy and Leeds will be responsible for nearly half this amount.

In the late 1990s dot-com boom, Leeds became one of the key hubs in the emerging new media sector - companies such as Freeserve, Energis, Sportal, TEAMtalk and Ananova emerged to dominate the UK internet industry, with Freeserve and Ananova going on to become part of Wanadoo and Orange within France Télécom. The city's Holbeck area is now home to the 'internet quarter' - an urban village with infrastructure and facilities for digital media and creative companies; at its heart is the Round Foundry media centre facility. Now, over 33% of the UK's internet traffic goes through Leeds, making it the UK's largest internet city outside London.

Museums and the arts

Leeds has a small number of museums, being the home of the Royal Armouries Museum (opened in 1996 when the collection was transferred from the Tower of London), the Leeds City Museum which is dedicated to the history of Yorkshire, the Thackray's Medical Museum and the Leeds City Art Gallery. Leeds also boasts the Grand Theatre (where Opera North is based), the City Varieties Music Hall (which has hosted performances by Charlie Chaplin and Harry Houdini plus being the venue of TV's "The Good Old Days") and the West Yorkshire Playhouse.

The Leeds Festival takes place every year in Bramham Park, having moved from Temple Newsam after pressure from some local residents. It features some of the biggest names in rock and indie music.

The city is home to the Leeds International Piano Competition, held every three years since 1963, which has launched the careers of many major concert pianists. There is also the Leeds International Concert Season, the largest local authority music programme of any UK city outside London.

The city also has an internationally recognised film festival; the Leeds International Film Festival is the largest film festival in England outside London and shows films from around the world. It incorporates the highly successful Leeds Young People's Film Festival, which features exciting and innovative films made both for and by children and young people[3].

Some of the first moving pictures in the world were taken in the city, by Louis Le Prince, of Leeds Bridge in 1888, and the first set of traffic lights in Yorkshire were installed on Park Row.

Leeds also has a very important dance community; it currently is the home of the world-renowned dance companies the Northern Ballet Theatre and Phoenix Dance.

Stately homes and parks

Harewood House and the ruins of Kirkstall Abbey, which date from the 12th century, are on the outskirts of the city. Other significant stately homes that are located in proximity to Leeds include Bramham Park and Lotherton Hall. To the north lies Roundhay Park with its well regarded Tropical World hothouse. Other parks in the Leeds area include Golden Acre Park which lies between Adel and Bramhope, Hall Park in Horsforth, Woodhouse Moor in Hyde Park, Potternewton Park between Chapeltown and Harehills, East End Park in the location of the same name, Temple Newsam situated south of Halton Moor, Halton, Whitkirk and Colton, Cross Flatts Park in Beeston and Middleton Park in Middleton.

Shopping

Victoria Quarter

Leeds Kirkgate Market

Leeds has become known as the Knightsbridge of the North. The diverse range of shopping, from individual one-off boutiques to large department stores, including Harvey Nichols and Louis Vuitton, has greatly expanded the Leeds retail base. The Victoria Quarter, several existing arcades connected by roofing the entirety of Queen Victoria Street with stained glass, is the jewel in Leeds' shopping crown, located off Briggate, Leeds' main shopping street. Other popular shopping attractions include the Corn Exchange, Leeds Kirkgate Market [4], Granary Wharf, Leeds Shopping Plaza, Headrow Shopping Centre, The Light, The St John's Centre, The Merrion Centre Leeds, Crown Point, Birstall Retail Park and the White Rose Centre. In addition, there are 2 proposed shopping centres, namely the Harewood/Eastgate Quarter and Trinity Quarter.

Music

Main article: Music in Leeds

and List of bands originating in Leeds

Artists

Leeds has produced many notable acts. Most recently Kaiser Chiefs, The Music and Corinne Bailey Rae have joined the list of successful bands from the city. Also worth a mention are The Wedding Present, who released a 7 inch single, every month for a year. Every one hit the charts - a feat only achieved by one other artist: Elvis Presley. Leeds also produced one of the most famous one-hit-wonders ever, Chumbawamba. And we can't forget Melanie B from Spice Girls.

Dance music and the clubbing scene

House Music had a big impact on Leeds when it arrived in the late 1980s. Early house nights included Downbeat at the Warehouse, Meltdown at the Astoria in Harehills, and Joy and Kaos at various temporary venues, along with a thriving Shebeen or "Blues" scene in Chapeltown.

Along with Sheffield and Bradford, Leeds was a centre for the Yorkshire Bleeps and Bass scene in 1989-1990, with influential local bands such as LFO, Nightmares on Wax, Ital Rockers, Unit 93 and Juno on Sheffield's Warp Records and Leeds' Bassic Records.

Dance band Utah Saints hit the top ten several times between 1991 and 1993.

The earlier underground house scene developed into the Leeds club scene of the 1990s, when for a while Leeds held the title of Britain's clubbing capital. Both Back to Basics and mixed gay night Vague enjoyed the title of best club in Britain at different points in the decade, whilst The Orbit in Morley was an internationally recognised techno mecca (Orbit closed in the late 1990s and was replaced by a restaurant).

DIY scene

Leeds is very well-known for its current DIY underground music scene, encompassing the genres of hardcore, post-hardcore, post-punk, and noise rock among others. There is a vibrant and active community based around the DIY ethic.

Festivals

Leeds initially played host to the northern leg of the V Festival between 1996 and 1998 before the event moved to Weston Park, Staffordshire.

In 2000, Leeds played host to the first and as of 2006 the only ever BBC Radio 1 Love Parade at Roundhay Park.

Since 1999 the Leeds Festival, a northern leg of the well established Reading Festival, has taken place on August bank holiday weekend. The event was initially held at Temple Newsam (the venue for the Leeds V Festival) before protests from residents forced a move to Bramham Park.

Leeds is also home to the International Pianoforte Competition which is regarded highly. It was established in 1963 by Fanny Waterman with the 15th competition in September 2006.

West Yorkshire Playhouse and the neighbouring Venue at Leeds College of Music play host to the biennial FuseLeeds Festival showcasing an eclectic mix of more left-field music.

2006 had seen the two-day O2 Wireless Festival take place at Harewood House.

Venues

Leeds plays host to many venues, currently including Leeds University refectory (where The Who recorded their 1970 live album Live at Leeds and Motörhead recorded the majority of No Sleep 'til Hammersmith), Leeds Metropolitan University, The Cockpit, Brudenell Social Club, The Faversham, The Hi-Fi club, The Wardrobe, The Irish Centre, Joseph's Well, The New Roscoe, The Vine and The Mixing Tin among others.

Occasional gigs are held in Millennium Square in the city centre (including the Kaiser Chiefs and Fall Out Boy in 2006), Roundhay Park (which was home to Love Parade in 2000 and has hosted gigs by the likes of Robbie Williams, U2, Michael Jackson and The Rolling Stones), Harewood House has hosted gigs by the likes of James Blunt and The Who, Leeds Town Hall (hosted the Kaiser Chiefs and many classical music events) and Leeds Parish Church.

Recently attempts have been made to build an arena in the city (currently larger touring acts tend to play either Manchester or Sheffield owing to the relatively small capacity of the refectory, Leeds's biggest permanent venue).

Nightlife

Leeds has a very large student population and boasts a large number of pubs, bars, nightclubs and restaurants, as well as a multitude of venues for live bands such as The Cockpit, New Roscoe, Joseph's Well and The Wardrobe which combine to generate a vibrant and nationally renowned nightlife. Additionally, there are also a number of smaller venues which cater for underground and DIY gigs, such as Sela Bar and Brudenell Social Club.

Leeds has gained a reputation as one of the UK's favourite clubbing destinations and is often described as the UK's 'clubbing capital', being a popular 'Stag' and 'Hen Weekend' destination and also the original home of the pioneering club nights Back to Basics and Speedqueen. [5] Also, until a few years ago, nearby Morley, was home to the legendary Orbit, which for 13 years was known internationally as one of the original and best techno clubs in the country.

Leeds also has a well established gay nightlife scene. The Bridge Inn and The New Penny, both on Call Lane, have long been gay night spots. Queens' Court offers a similar experience to its London counterpart Rupert Street. Other more recent additions such as Bar Fibre, on Lower Briggate and Mission offer more contemporary 'straight friendly' environments. During the summer months the secluded courtyard that lies between Bar Fibre and Queens' Court transforms into a lively a beer garden. Recently opened clubs include The Velvet Underground and the refurbished Warehouse, which is now home of the Saturday club night Electrocute.

Towards Millennium Square and the Civic or Northern Quarter, is a newly developing entertainment district thriving on both students and weekend visitors. Recently, The Hard Rock Café, Jongleurs and Tiger Tiger have opened in the area, alongside various upmarket restaurants. Millennium Square bursts into life during the night with its many bars (including Cocoon, Revolution and Ha!Ha!, to name a few), and large outdoor screen mounted on the side of the Civic Theatre. Millennium Square also plays host to many large seasonal events such as Earth From The Air, Icecube (Europe’s largest outdoor ice rink), Christmas markets, Gigs and Concerts, citywide parties and the world famous Rhythms of the City Festival. Millennium Square is adjacent to the Mandela Gardens, which were opened by Nelson Mandela in 2001. A number of public art features, fountains, a canal and greenery can be found here as an oasis amongst the city centre excitement.

Leeds is home to a number of large 'super-clubs' including Mission, Majestyk, Creation, Oceana and Evolution. Life Bar, My house, Tiger Tiger and Discotheque by Gatecrasher are also prominent clubs in the city.

Leeds is also home to some Bohemian bars that are not aimed at the 'usual' weekend crowd - especially the bars in and around Briggate and North Street (North Bar, Sandanista, Mojo, The Reliance (Reli), Reform, etc), Baby Jupiter on York Place and Milo on Call Lane.

Religious communities

Christianity

The majority of people in Leeds identify themselves as Christian. Fairly unusually for a city of its size, Leeds does not have a Church of England Cathedral (Leeds is part of the Anglican Diocese of Ripon and Leeds, the Cathedral is in Ripon). However, Leeds does have a Roman Catholic Cathedral, being the Episcopal seat of the Diocese of Leeds. The city also has several fairly large New Church congregations.

Islam

The proportion of Muslims in Leeds is average for the country. Mosques can be found throughout the city, serving Muslim communities in Harehills, Hyde Park and parts of Beeston.

Sikhism

The Sikh community is represented by Gurdwaras (Temples) spread across the city. There is also a colourful religious annual procession, called the Nagar Kirtan, into Millennium Square in the city centre around 13th/14th April to celebrate Vaisakhi - the Sikh New Year and the birth of the religion. It is estimated around 3,000 Sikhs in Leeds take part in this annual event.

Judaism

Leeds has the 3rd largest Jewish community in the UK, after London and Manchester. There is a particular concentration around the areas of Alwoodley and Moortown.

Hinduism

The small Hindu community in Leeds have a Hindu temple at Hyde Park. Herein major Hindu religious festivals such as Ganesh Chaturthi, Durga Puja, Dusshera and Diwali are celebrated with gaiety. The temple has all the major Hindu deities and is also dedicated to the Lord Mahavir of the Jains.

Buddhism

Various Buddhist traditions are represented in Leeds.. The Buddhist community comes together to celebrate the major festival of Wesak in May.

People from Leeds

Main article: Famous people from Leeds

An inhabitant of Leeds is locally known as a Loiner, a word of uncertain origin, possibly from Loidis, an early name for the region mentioned around 700AD by Bede. The term is rarely used or understood. The mock-classical adjectives Leodensian and Leodiensian are sometimes used by some local sports clubs, and the word Leodensian also features in the lyrics of "I Predict a Riot" by Kaiser Chiefs, although in that context it was referring to John Smeaton, a famous 18th century resident of the city as a founder of Leeds Grammar School, as a Leeds Grammar School leaver is called an Old Leodensian.

Famous people born in and around the Leeds area include; actor Peter O'Toole, BBC Radio 1 DJ Chris Moyles, singer Corinne Bailey Rae, former Spice Girl Mel B, comedian Julian Barratt from the duo Mighty Boosh, comedian Vic Reeves, model Nell McAndrew, former DJ and TV presenter Sir Jimmy Savile and Newsnight presenter Jeremy Paxman. Playwright Alan Bennett was also born in Leeds.

Education

Parkinson Building, University of Leeds

Leeds has a very large number of primary schools, secondary schools and further and higher education establishments with Education Leeds having responsibility for statutory education for young people in the city.

Leeds has two universities, the University of Leeds, with around 31,500 full-time students (and a further 52,000 on short courses), and Leeds Metropolitan University with around 26,000 (according to UCAS; the LMU website claims 37,000). It also has several higher education colleges: Leeds College of Art and Design (formerly Jacob Kramer College), Leeds Trinity & All Saints accredited by the University of Leeds, and Leeds College of Music, which is the largest music college in the UK. This gives Leeds one of the largest student populations in the country. Indeed recently it has gained accolades as the Best UK University Destination in The Independent newspaper.

The city's main independent school is The Grammar School at Leeds, which was legally created in 2005 following the merger of Leeds Grammar School and Leeds Girls' High School. Both schools have long established histories, Leeds Grammar School dated back to 1552, and Leeds Girls' High School to 1857. The new school is located on two sites; one in Headingley (for pre-prep and nursery) and one in Alwoodley (for 7+). The school is constantly ranked highly in school league tables.

The city is home to several further education colleges, such as Park Lane College Leeds (the largest further education college in Leeds with over 38,500 students), Leeds College of Technology[6] and Thomas Danby College.

The city is home to many high schools such as Brigshaw, Royds School, Rodillian High School, Allerton High School which was started in 1901, Roundhay School Technology College and Morley High School was founded as a grammar school in 1907, but became a mixed comprehensive in 1975. Notre Dame Roman Catholic Sixth Form College is a very large college for A-level students close to the city centre.

OFSTED reports are available for all schools and further education colleges in Leeds.

Under the Government's targets for better schools for children, Education Leeds has been given several £billion to help towards the cost of refurbishing or rebuilding primary and secondary schools in Leeds. One of the first high schools in Leeds to be rebuilt will be Pudsey Grangefield School (Mathematics and Computing Specialist Status).

Further reading

• Burt S. and Grady K. (2002 – 2nd edition) The Illustrated History of Leeds, Breedon Books, Derby
• Fraser D. (ed.) (1980) A History of Modern Leeds, Manchester University Press, Manchester
• Unsworth R. and Stillwell J. (eds.) (2004) Twenty-First Century Leeds: Geographies of a Regional City, Leeds University Press, Leeds; Sixteen Chapters about the Contemporary City; 160 maps, many photos
• Wrathmell S. (2005), Leeds, Pevsner Architectural Guides, Yale University Press, London

External links

• Template:Wikitravel
• Leeds City Council Leeds City (Metropolitan) Council.
• Leeds City Guide The Official Leeds City Guide.
• 'Leeds, Live it, Love it' Official city website, for visitors, business, students and residents.